It all started as a promise to his father.
In 1991, Dr. Brent Saik told his father he would do his best to “keep kids out of the places he was going to” in his fight against cancer.
His mission became to raise awareness and funds for research through sport and he has succeeded with the World’s Longest Hockey and Baseball Games.
The latter was recently held in Sherwood Park, with $460,000 being raised.
Read More Extra InningsThe Lawsons are a baseball family.
It is those two components – baseball and family – that meant the most to Jim Lawson.
During his 52 years of life, Jim not only cultivated his own love of baseball in his children, he inspired a lasting fondness for the game in those who took the field with him.
Since passing away on Aug. 8th, following a bout with brain cancer, the founder of the Pro Baseball Force (PBF) Redbirds program leaves this world with a pioneering legacy that extends across Canada and all the way up to the Major League Baseball (MLB) level.
Read More For Love of the GameHe was the Man of Steel on the cellar-dwelling Yorkton Cardinals last year, but now he’s one of several masters on the mound in Medicine Hat.
With the Cardinals in 2018, Owen Steele had a minuscule 1.46 earned run average (ERA) and 46 strikeouts through 49 innings of work for the 14-33 Eastern Division squad.
Since joining the defending Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) champion Mavericks this summer, the Calgarian has a perfect 6-0 record, 49 Ks and a 4.37 ERA in 59.2 frames.
He’s been a reliable presence in Medicine Hat’s starting rotation and we caught up with the 5-foot-10 hurler to spotlight him in our 7th Inning Stretch series.
Read More 7th Inning Stretch: Owen SteeleThe Okotoks Dawgs have put together another powerhouse regular season in 2019, thanks in no small part to Davis Todosichuk.
In 43 games and 140 at bats for the Dawgs, the Kelowna native has a robust .343 batting average, 17 RBI and 39 runs. The centre fielder also leads the team in stolen bases, with 18.
We had a quick conversation with Todosichuk as part of our 7th Inning Stretch series.
Read More 7th Inning Stretch: Davis TodosichukIt’s been a steady summer season of baseball for middle infielder Tanner Hess of the Fort McMurray Giants.
The 23-year-old from Victoria, British Columbia was a last-minute addition to the Fort McMurray roster and he ended up turning the opportunity into an All-Star calibre campaign.
Hess is the focus of this 7th Inning Stretch feature.
Read More 7th Inning Stretch: Tanner HessHunter Boyd has been the king of the hill for the Edmonton Prospects this season.
As the team’s ace, the right-handed pitcher from Moses Lake, Washington has been both durable and effective.
We caught up with Boyd and asked him several questions, which he graciously answered for us as part of our 7th Inning Stretch player profile series
Read More 7th Inning Stretch: Hunter BoydComing off of a Canadian College Baseball Conference (CCBC) title win, Flynn Ridley set his sights on a summer season in the Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL).
When it came time for the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) pitcher to find a team to play for, another championship squad – the Medicine Hat Mavericks – seemed like a perfect fit.
In his first season in the WCBL, the right-handed reliever from Vancouver has delivered an effective campaign thus far. The 18-year-old has a 3-1 record, two saves, a 2.49 earned run average (ERA) and 17 strikeouts through 21.2 innings pitched.
We spoke with the 6-foot-4 mound manager as part of our 7th Inning Stretch series.
Read More 7th Inning Stretch: Flynn RidleyOne of the harsh realities of any baseball season is that players may not get a chance to finish the campaign and help their teammates when they need them most.
For pitchers at the Major League Baseball (MLB) level, they may have innings limits or be forced to sit out due to injury.
Such is the case for lefty hurler Jaden Griffin, who recently wrapped up his season with the Lethbridge Bulls. He is the subject of our most recent 7th Inning Stretch feature.
Read More 7th Inning Stretch: Jaden GriffinIt’s fair to say that the right fielder for the Edmonton Prospects is living up to his last name in the WCBL this season.
Whether he’s at the plate, roaming the outfield or running the bases, Travis Hunt is constantly … well, on the hunt. And the blonde batter’s efforts are paying off.
Through 40 games and 155 at bats for the Prospects, Hunt has a batting average of .316, 26 runs, 26 runs batted in (RBI), and he leads the team in stolen bases, with 21. The MVP of the 2019 WCBL All Star Game also leads all Edmonton outfielders in assists.
We posed several questions to him for the latest chapter in our 7th Inning Stretch series.
Read More 7th Inning Stretch: Travis HuntA thrill of a lifetime for many aspiring baseball players in our province with the annual Blue Jays Academy Super Camp powered by Honda.
George Bell, J.P. Arencibia, Homer Bush and Ricky Romero showed players in St. Albert and Okotoks a few tricks of the trade over the last four days.
We were invited onto the field to snap a few photos of the festivities.
Read More Blue Jays Academy Gallery